YORK'S Covid vaccination centre is preparing to mark its first anniversary by ramping up its booster programme in a bid to combat the Omicron variant.

The mass vaccination centre at Askham Bar has given more than 460,000 jabs over the past year, including 58,000 boosters in recent months, but its work is set to grow over coming weeks as medics try to ensure as many people as possible have a booster jab.

“We now have new targets to deliver and we’re preparing for the increase in demand,” said Professor Mike Holmes, who coordinates the complex operation, in his weekly column for The Press.

“Details are still being confirmed, but we will be ramping up our capacity at the site with support from additional vaccinator and volunteer teams.

"As before, when we were offering up to 4,000 jabs a day, we’re welcoming the army, retired clinicians and other support teams. It’s a big ask, but we’ve done it before and we can do it again.”

Prof Holmes said that as Margaret Keenan became the first person in the world to receive her vaccination on December 8 last year, staff in York were working flat out to prepare the Askham Bar site ready for its first Covid vaccinations.

"In the run up to Christmas 2020 we worked through the night to transform the vaccination centre from a drive-through site, to what you see today."

He said that since then, more than 117 million vaccinations had been administrated, and it was estimated that 127,500 deaths and 24,144,000 infections had been prevented as a result of the Covid vaccination programme.

He said the York site had been busy, particularly at weekends, but there was plenty of capacity in the system for booked appointments. "We have good availability including late nights and weekends," he said.

Prof Holmes said a 'very special' GP healthcare provider organisation had been created in York which was delivering real improvements to patient care.

"I feel a real sense of ‘collective togetherness’ across the City and we are extremely proud of our achievements to date," he said.

"Nimbuscare has been embraced by the people of York and the inter-sector relationships that have been formed bode well for the future."

He revealed he had spoken to other health leaders about Nimbuscare’s ‘At Scale’ model at a World Health Organisation’ conference on Quality of Care in Athens.

"It was a huge privilege to be asked to present at the conference," he said.

"As the NHS reforms, more organisations like Nimbuscare will be forming. We’re at the forefront – others are watching and learning from what’s happening here in York and that is certainly something to be positive about."

*Today's column is on page 12.